10/12/2026
😂 Apparently, 31 years in the tattoo industry gets you a lifetime membership to the Unsolicited Opinions Club. 💀
So, my work was recently criticized on another social media platform by a fellow "artist" in the industry. Not the first time, probably won't be the last.
Naturally, curiosity got the best of me, so I checked out his profile.
And wouldn't you know it? Another stereotypical, bearded, self-appointed tattoo industry gatekeeper proudly advertising his "31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE." 🏆👏
Thirty. One. Years.
Sir, that's a whole mortgage.
And yet, here you are, spending your free time criticizing a woman's tattoo work on the internet.
Now, I don't typically criticize other artists. My clients know that. I genuinely believe there's room for everyone to succeed, and I LOVE seeing talented artists thrive.
BUT SINCE WE'RE HANDING OUT UNSOLICITED CRITIQUES... 😇
I took a little stroll through his portfolio.
And let's just say...
Giving Filet Mignon advice with McDonald's work on your menu is a BOLD business strategy. 🍟🥩
Thirty-one years of experience, and some of that work looks like it should've been retired around year seven.
I've seen cleaner work from apprentices. Hell, I WAS producing cleaner work during my apprenticeship. 😭
Here's what I find particularly fascinating about this specific breed of tattoo artist:
They seem to believe that simply existing in the industry longer automatically makes them superior.
Sir, 31 years of doing something doesn't necessarily mean you've been doing it WELL for 31 years. 💀
And the irony?
A significant portion of my business involves refreshing, reworking, and covering tattoos done by artists who apparently graduated from the University of "I've Been Doing This Longer Than You." 🎓
Some of the loudest critics in this industry have portfolios that look suspiciously like my future appointment book. 😂
The gatekeeping, the bitterness, the obsession with putting down women who are building successful businesses...
It's exhausting.
Imagine having THREE DECADES to perfect your craft and still finding more satisfaction in tearing down another artist than improving your own work?
Experience is measured in growth, education, knowledge...not just how many calendars you've thrown away.
Anyway, I'll be over here running my female-owned tattoo studio, supporting other artists, making my clients happy, and minding the business that actually pays my bills. 🩷
To the genuinely talented, supportive veterans in this industry, I have nothing but respect. You've paved the way.
To the others...
Keep the unsolicited critiques coming. At this rate, I'll probably be refreshing your portfolio one client at a time. 😘💅
